Press Release

Shetland Cast members get Ready to Represent Scotland in Delhi

Months of anticipation, preparation and hard work are coming to fruition for the volunteer cast members from Shetland who will take part in the eight minute creative performance for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games Flag Handover Ceremony. Cast members are currently being put through their paces at Bootcamp style rehearsals at secret locations throughout Glasgow.

The cast members have come from all over Scotland to proudly represent their country at the Flag Handover Ceremony segment of the Delhi 2010 Closing Ceremony on Thursday 14 October. Each volunteer has spent months preparing for what will truly be a once in a lifetime experience.

The top secret Bootcamp involves physically demanding dance and drill practice sessions with giant props, including a 30-metre long replica of the Clyde Auditorium, affectionately known as the Armadillo. This requires almost military style precision levels of discipline to handle the giant prop and is all part of the cast member preparations as they get ready to showcase Scotland’s proud heritage and culture to an expected global audience of one billion. While the performance itself remains under wraps, it promises to be truly unique with cast members coming from all over Scotland, many of whom will have had no previous performance experience.

Kathryn Spence Cast Member from Shetland said:

“The last two weeks of rehearsals have been really hectic but so enjoyable. We are all looking forward to going to Delhi and can’t wait to put all of our hard work into practice. As we approach the departure date there is a growing sense of anticipation and I am just thrilled to be part in this project”.

Bill Manson SIC Spokesman for Education, Children and Young People said:

“Its great to know that three young Shetlanders, Heather Gordon, James Watt and Kathryn Spence will be representing our Islands and Scotland at the Closing Ceremony in Delhi. I am sure they will enjoy themselves and learn from this experience, and come back with many stories. I wish them all the best for their performance and look forward to seeing it on the 14th of October”.

Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive John Scott said:

“We deliberately developed an innovative recruitment model that would ensure that people from a range of communities and diverse backgrounds from all over Scotland would have the opportunity of a lifetime to proudly represent Scotland. After the Handover Ceremony, cast members will become ambassadors for the Games in their community, and will be involved with the Games for the next four years, leaving a positive and direct legacy that is Scotland-wide.”

The cast arrives in Delhi on October 12, two days ahead of the performance, which will see the Commonwealth Games Federation Flag handed to Glasgow’s Lord Provost Bob Winter during the ceremony as Glasgow officially takes up the role as the next Host City of the 20th Commonwealth Games.

Councillor Archie Graham is the Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council and the Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games. He said:

“I have had a sneak preview of the work the mass cast has put into the performance for the closing ceremony and its hard not to be impressed. Given the scale of the task these volunteers have undertaken, the sheer hard work and total dedication they have brought to it has been inspiring.

“It will be a closing ceremony performance like no other. Not only are the team working hard to create a show that will live long in the memory, they are also creating a real and lasting legacy. We have people from every corner of the country taking part who will go on to act as ambassadors for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“It will be an experience that will live with each and every one of them for the rest of their lives. The eyes of the world will be on them as they showcase the very best our country has to offer, with their performance set to be watched by a stadium audience of 65,000 and an estimated global TV audience of around 1billion. Glasgow and Scotland can be very proud of all those taking part and we wish them well as they prepare to take centre stage at the Games.”

The 8-minute performance for the closing ceremony has been created by Unspun, the internationally renowned creative team who have delivered multiple prestigious Olympic, Para Olympic and Commonwealth Games Opening And Closing Ceremonies. Project managed by Glasgow Life on behalf of the Glasgow 2014, volunteers were from education, sports, arts and volunteering networks. The Delhi 2010 Flag Handover Ceremony will be performed in front of 60,000 spectators at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.